Made the switch from Divorced Spousal SS to my own SS!

[Chuckanut]

As one of the last survivors/beneficiaries of this undeserved loophole, I want to thank you for posting this information.

It certainly tilts the playing field towards waiting until 70 to collect SS, though I would have done that anyway baring some unforeseen economic problem. It's good to know that it is easy to switch back to my own account.

We don't have Blue Bell in my neck of the woods. Does it still come in real 1/2 gallon containers or those 1 qt + 1 pint containers?

 

[W2R]

As one of the last survivors of this undeserved loophole, I want to thank you for posting your information.

It certainly tilts the playing field towards waiting until 70 to collect SS, though I would have done that anyway baring some unforeseen economic problem. It's good to know that it is easy to switch back to my own account.

We don't have Blue Bell in my neck of the woods. Does it still come in real 1/2 gallon containers or those 1 qt + 1 pint containers?

Oh yes! You can get the big containers of Blue Bell just like always. Or at least they look like the old fashioned big containers. I seldom get those. I usually try to get the pint containers because otherwise I might eat too much. I just love Blue Bell so much. After one of my dental implants, F tried to get some for me but the store was out, so he brought me Ben and Jerry's. Believe me, I was not one bit happy with that substitution.

I'm so happy for you that you got in just "under the wire", so to speak! I'll post again if anything else comes up. After yesterday's phone call, I got an e-mail from SS saying (among other more trivial things)

We received your claim for retirement benefits and we processed it. You will receive an award letter, which will officially inform you of the amount and when you will receive your first and subsequent checks.

So, if that goes smoothly then all I will have to do is spend the extra money.

 

[38Chevy454]

Congratulations on being able to work the SS system for your benefit. I would encourage the extra approximately $18/day as go out for lunch money instead of 2 implants/year.

 

[W2R]

Congratulations on being able to work the SS system for your benefit. I would encourage the extra approximately $18/day as go out for lunch money instead of 2 implants/year.

Thanks, and good idea! I would definitely rather add that to my "going out to lunch" money, than to go through 2 implants every year.

 

[joeea]

How's that a waste? Spending it on Bud Light would be the wasteful act.

Agreed! I don't buy beerwater any more.

 

[Another Reader]

One question. If you start collecting the new amount in the month of your seventieth birthday, aren't you really collecting at 69 years and 10 months? IIRC, my eligibility started the month after I turned 62 as that was my first full month eligible and the first check came the following month. If your birthday is in June and it works the same way (which it may not), then your first age 70 check would be in August.

 

[W2R]

One question. If you start collecting the new amount in the month of your seventieth birthday, aren't you really collecting at 69 years and 10 months? IIRC, my eligibility started the month after I turned 62 as that was my first full month eligible and the first check came the following month. If your birthday is in June and it works the same way (which it may not), then your first age 70 check would be in August.

Ah, but "collecting"? I have no information yet about the "collecting date" (as I posted above, that will be given to me in the awards letter). Any further assumptions based on that simply are invalid since that information is not yet written in stone.

IIRC, I don't get the deposit for June until mid July, since it is paid in arrears and since my birthday is early in June (June 8th). It might be August if my birthday was later in June.

At any rate, since SS's computations and mine are within $1/month of each other (actually, $0.71 since I rounded up), I am absolutely sure we are on the same page as far as amount goes.

As they said in the e-mail, the award letter will give me the exact date on which I will be paid but according to what the SS lady said on the phone, definitely I will be paid at the age 70 amount that I had computed independently. It will be nice to see that amount on paper, I admit. But frankly, even as a diehard worrier I don't see any sane reason to worry at this stage.

 

[CRLLS]

One question. If you start collecting the new amount in the month of your seventieth birthday, aren't you really collecting at 69 years and 10 months? IIRC, my eligibility started the month after I turned 62 as that was my first full month eligible and the first check came the following month. If your birthday is in June and it works the same way (which it may not), then your first age 70 check would be in August.

If one requests to start benefits before FRA, you are right. If benefits start at or after FRA, then the first month of eligibility is the month of your birthday. SS always pays in the month after your eligibility. If W2R is requesting to switch benefits at 70, her first payment on her own delayed benefits should be received the first month after her birthday. I'm fairly certain on that.

 

[Another Reader]

It's really confusing. I was born at the end of the month, but everyone born in the month except on the first is treated the same, at least for early claiming. When I claimed on-line I was offered an increased amount, which was for delaying a month. It wasn't really clear, and I'll bet a lot of people elected that option. I verified with the lady that called me the additional amount was for delaying one month. However, my trust in Social Security was compromised by how that was presented on-line.

In your shoes, I would probably verify that you are claiming at 70 and not a month or two early. Or maybe some other folks here have been through this and can verify you got every penny you should. Because you should get every pint of ice cream you deserve!


EDIT: Ok, CRLLS explained it. Time to break out the cones and bowls!

 

[W2R]

It's really confusing. I was born at the end of the month, but everyone born in the month except on the first is treated the same, at least for early claiming. When I claimed on-line I was offered an increased amount, which was for delaying a month. It wasn't really clear, and I'll bet a lot of people elected that option. I verified with the lady that called me the additional amount was for delaying one month. However, my trust in Social Security was compromised by how that was presented on-line.

In your shoes, I would probably verify that you are claiming at 70 and not a month or two early. Or maybe some other folks here have been through this and can verify you got every penny you should. Because you should get every pint of ice cream you deserve!


EDIT: Ok, CRLLS explained it. Time to break out the cones and bowls!

Yes. And of course I verified that I was claiming at 70!!! I put it in the comments section of the online form, and the lady from SS also repeated that back to me on the phone. SS will inform me of the date of my first direct deposit later on, in the awards letter. It's kind of hard to worry very much when I don't even have the deposit date yet.

You're right - - I do need to get that Bluebell today and celebrate and calm down!!! this is such a Big Deal to me that I'm a little on edge and yet deleriously happy right now. But not deleriously happy enough for any "Wheee!!!" right now because the market just isn't there.

Oh, you reminded me of something I should mention for the benefit of anyone reading this thread in the future. The SS lady offered me either the monthly payment I had computed, or else a monthly payment that was a few hundred dollars less along with a lump sum of a few thousand dollars. I don't remember the exact amounts. But I turned down the lump sum because to me, the whole point of claiming at age 70 is to get a bigger monthly amount. I suppose that in some circumstances, people might unexpectedly need a lump sum but I don't.

 

[mn54]

YAY!!!!



This will be like getting 2 dental implants/year for free.

$3300 for an implant ( including an abutment and crown) is an awfully good price.

 

[W2R]

$3300 for an implant ( including an abutment and crown) is an awfully good price.

You're right. The two I got last year came to $7,800 so that is $3,900 each. Seems like the prices keep going up, oh well.

 

[SecondCor521]

But not deleriously happy enough for any "Wheee!!!" right now because the market just isn't there.

Thank you!

Oh, you reminded me of something I should mention for the benefit of anyone reading this thread in the future. The SS lady offered me either the monthly payment I had computed, or else a monthly payment that was a few hundred dollars less along with a lump sum of a few thousand dollars. I don't remember the exact amounts. But I turned down the lump sum because to me, the whole point of claiming at age 70 is to get a bigger monthly amount. I suppose that in some circumstances, people might unexpectedly need a lump sum but I don't.

I think that SS gives people the option to retroactively claim up to six months of benefits. The lump sum is the catch up payment for those retroactive six months, but the catch is that you are then treated as claiming six months earlier and are left with a lower benefit for life. I think you made the right decision to forego the catchup and smaller check and get a bigger check for life (especially since you were already claiming divorced spousal benefits).

 

[audreyh1]

Yes. And of course I verified that I was claiming at 70!!! I put it in the comments section of the online form, and the lady from SS also repeated that back to me on the phone. SS will inform me of the date of my first direct deposit later on, in the awards letter. It's kind of hard to worry very much when I don't even have the deposit date yet.

Oh, you reminded me of something I should mention for the benefit of anyone reading this thread in the future. The SS lady offered me either the monthly payment I had computed, or else a monthly payment that was a few hundred dollars less along with a lump sum of a few thousand dollars. I don't remember the exact amounts. But I turned down the lump sum because to me, the whole point of claiming at age 70 is to get a bigger monthly amount. I suppose that in some circumstances, people might unexpectedly need a lump sum but I don't.

Glad you didn’t fall for that. Apparently a lot of people do. It was a subject of an article a while back where the author felt like SS recipients were being cheated out of their full amount. It looked like in some cases recipients were only being offered the 6 month lump sum back pay and lower check.

 

[Golden sunsets]

If one requests to start benefits before FRA, you are right. If benefits start at or after FRA, then the first month of eligibility is the month of your birthday. SS always pays in the month after your eligibility. If W2R is requesting to switch benefits at 70, her first payment on her own delayed benefits should be received the first month after her birthday. I'm fairly certain on that.

There is one exception to this rule. If your birthday is on the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd of the month, then your birthday is considered to have occured in the prior month. In my case my 70th birthday is on 12/1. Social Security therefore considers my birthday to have occured in November, so my first month of collecting at the higher rate will be in December; paydate is the second Wednesday to be exact. And further juice is added on 1/1/19, when the 2019 cola takes effect, assuming there is one.

If I am not mistaken W2R’s 70th bday is on June 8th, after the 3rd, so her month of reaching 70 is June. Her new higher payment, paid in arrears would be in July.

 

[SecondCor521]

There is one exception to this rule. If your birthday is on the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd of the month, then your birthday is considered to have occured in the prior month.

Err, I don't think so. If your birthday is on the 1st, you are deemed to have achieved any given age as of the end of the previous month. But not the second or third of the month. And the government doesn't consider your birthday to change at all, it's just how old they define you to be.

 

[Golden sunsets]

Ok-I didn’t verify your statement, but I’ll defer to your knowledge. I was (mistakenly) recalling DH’s OMB retirement date on the 1st-3rd of the month-a different matter entirely. But the rest of my synopsis remains the same. My 70th bday despite it occurring in December is considered to be November. W2R’s first bumped up payment will be in July, assuming she claims on her 70th bday and not 69 years and 11 months.

 

[Yarnstormer]

That’s awesome! This forum is the best resource! I hope my “file survivor at 60 and switch to my own increased benefit at 70” plan plays out. Fingers crossed they don’t change the rules or I haven’t misinterpreted them!

 

[W2R]

That’s awesome! This forum is the best resource! I hope my “file survivor at 60 and switch to my own increased benefit at 70” plan plays out. Fingers crossed they don’t change the rules or I haven’t misinterpreted them!

Thank you!

I have forgotten the rules governing the strategy you are planning, but I hope that everything goes smoothly. SS is very complex so be sure to do everything you can to research and learn about this aspect of it. Good luck.

 

[UpAnchor]

If your birthday is on the 1st, you are deemed to have achieved any given age as of the end of the previous month. But not the second or third of the month.

I can confirm this. DW's birthday was Nov 3rd and she did not receive her first payment until 1/10/18.

 

[UpAnchor]

BTW, in the process of DW signing up, the SS rep in our local office commented that a good way to remember which month your birthdate qualifies you for is to ask yourself the question, "Was I age xx for the entire month in which my birthday occurs?" Since, in DW's case the answer was "no", then her qualifying month was December - the first month during which she was age xx for the entire month. Since SS pays in arrears, the first payment would land in January. This is why the first of a month is treated differently than the second or third. If born on the first, one is considered to have been ones age for the entire month.

 

[CRLLS]

I can confirm this. DW's birthday was Nov 3rd and she did not receive her first payment until 1/10/18.

She must have filed before her FRA?

 

[UpAnchor]

She must have filed before her FRA?

Yes.

 

[MissMolly]

My husbands birthday was February 19. He turned 66 - full retirement age. He signed up in November to start in February. He will get his first check in March for the full amount for age 66. You do not have to wait an extra month if you are full retirement age. We have received confirmation from SSA.

 

[UpAnchor]

She must have filed before her FRA?

Yes.

My husbands birthday was February 19. He turned 66 - full retirement age. He signed up in November to start in February. He will get his first check in March for the full amount for age 66. You do not have to wait an extra month if you are full retirement age. We have received confirmation from SSA.

CRLLS & Miss Molly, you guys are right. And thanks for the clarification regarding FRA.